Water-pump-controlling device



I. ROSSINI.

WATER PUMP CUNTROLLING DEVICE.

H S um o mw M4 n m, D1

Il ll fluor/Meg I. RQSSINI.

WATER PUMP CONTROLLIIIG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN- 7, I9I9. 1,347,408. Patented July 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- Suva/@hoz Witwe/oo @o I 5' w @em @HMM m J. ROSSINI.

WATER PUMP CONTROLLINGl DEVICE. APPLICATION rlLED IAN. 7, 1919.

Patented July 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witwe/Joao 1. Rossma.

WATER PUMP CGNTROLLING DEVICE;

APPLICATION FILED IMI- 7. I9l9. i 1,347,408. mama July 2o, 1920.I

4 sains-sagst 4.

Y nuemtoc Quot" es,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA RossINI, or OLYPHANT, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATERfPUMP-COTROLLING DEVICE.

Application filed January'?, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSHUA-ROSSINI, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Pump-Controlling Devices, ofwhich the .level in the sum following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in water pump controlling devicesand has particular application to a controlling device for use inconnection with the pumps employed to remove the drainage water frommines.

In carrying out the present invention it is `my purpose to provide acontroller for the water pumps used in mines whereby the pump will beautomatically placed in operation when the water level in the sump risesto a predetermined point thereby enabling the pump to relieve the sumpof the drainage water, and whereby the pump will be automatically cutout of' service immediately that the mine is Arelieved of the drainageWater.

It is also my purpose to provide a controlling device of the classdescribedfwhereby a signal will be given just previous to the pumpentering operation so that the attendant will bey notified in order thathe may examine the pump if he so desires, and whereby an intermittentsignal will be given at the mine headquarters during`-the time that thepump is in operation so that the proper authorities may be advised ofthe fact that the pump is relieving the mine of the drainage water thathas accumulated in the sump. I

A further, object of my invention is the provision of a controllingdevice which may be quickly and conveniently connected in the circuit ofthe driving motor ofthe pump `so that such motor may be placed inservice to operate the pump when the drainage water reaches thepredetermined point or may be cut out o operation when the sump has beenrelieved of the drainage water by the pump, the vcontroller including acircuit making and breaking device which 1s water in the sump and iscontrolled by such drainage water through the medium of a fioat and aflexible connection between the float and the circuit closer, suchconnection embodying speed changing elements where- Specieation ofLetters Patent.

and whereby the motor t Patented JulyT 20, 1920. seriai No. 270,069. i

by the speed at which the circuit closer l operates may be variedaccording to circumstances or exigencies of the particular case.

A still 'further object of my invention is to improve and simplify thegeneral construction of controlling devices of the class described, andto provide a device which may be installed and 4maintained at minimumexpense and which will operate efficiently and effectively under allconditions.

With the above recited objects in view and others of a similar nature,the invention resides in the construction, combina- -tion andarrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the -scope of theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings Figure' l is a diagrammatic view show-v Ingmy lmproved controller installed in ay mine, parts being shown inelevation.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the controller. p

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a circuit :making and breakingdevice.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the opposite side of the device.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of'Fig. 4'.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a collective view showing details of thecircuit making andbreaking device.

Fig. 8 is a perspective viewv of one set of the fingers and the mountingtherefor of the .base 2, the standards fbeing interconnected at the topbymeans ofa cross piece 3 and at a point adjacent to the bottom by meansof a cross piece 4. Arranged ltransversely of the frame formed by thestandards and cross pieces adjacent to the upper end of' such frame is ahorizontal shaft 5 that' has 'its end sui'tablyAmounted in aliningbearings in diameter from the outermost to the inner most as clearly'shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. Secured to .the outer side of therelatively large annulus is a circular plate 8 ofV insulating material.Formed integral with the outer surfaceof the plate 8 are ribs 9 arrangedconcentrically of one another and spaced apart, the ribs being alsoformed'of insulating material. Arranged between the ribs 9 are electriccurrent carrying strips 10 that alternate with the insulating ribs 9.The strips 10 are segments of circles and are disposed concentrically ofone anotherand of the ribs 9, and as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. Pivotally connected with one end of the electric currentcarrying strip 1() is a curved shoe-11 composed of a section 12 ofinsulating material and a section 13 of conducting material. The sectionl2 of insulating material is arranged upon the side of the shoe thatfaces the next innermost insulating rib and the outer end of the shoe isdesigned to normally engage the next innermost insulating rib. Eachinsulated' rib 9 contiguous to the coengaging end of' the shoe 11 isformed'with a recess or chamber 14. Extending transversely of thechamber 14 in proximity to the adjacent end of the shoe 11 is a pivotpin 15 upon which is mounted an arm 16, with a Contact finger 17 havingits outer end pivotally connected, as at 19, with the inner end of alink 20. The outer end of the link 20 is connected through a medium of apin 21 with the metal section 13 of the shoe 11, as clearly illustratedin Fig. 7 of the drawing. Extending radially through the plate 8contiguous to the recesses 14 in such plate is a rod 22 provided withlaterally projecting pins 23 that engage with the respective arms 16contiguous to the connection between such arms and the contact plate 17.On the outer end of the rod 22 is a leafspring 24 that has its endsagainst the periphery in the plate 8 and this leaf spring 24 acts uponthe rod 22 to'hold the plate 17 in normal position, that is the positionforming, in effect, continuation in the curved outer side of therespective rib, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings.When the plate 17 lis thus held the inner ends of the respective shoes11 engage the corresponding ribs 9 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Pivotallyconnected withx-the .remaining end of the respective strips 10 aredeliecting dogs 25 that normally extend outwardly against the innersides of the respective insulated ribs 9,

as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. These deflecting dogs 25 are held innormal positionV by suitable means. In the present instance this holdingmeans embodiesa Vrod 26 that is disposed within a bore formed in theplate 8 and is pivotally connected with the dogs 25 by means of pins 27.The outer end of the rod 26 is equipped with a leaf spring 28 that isbowed and has its end in engagement with the periphery of the plate 8 bya spring acting upon'the rod to pull thelatter outwardly of the platethereby holding the dog 25 in engagement with the respective insulatedribs. In the present form of my invention spring actuated lingers 29 aresecured to the inner side ot the respective insulated ribs in thevicinity of the point of contact between such ribs and the dellectordogs. These lingers 29 act as shock absorbers or cushions to absorb theshock incident to the movement of the dogs 25 to normalposition underthe action of the springs 28. I

Suitably fastened to the outer surface of the relatively small annulusis a plate 30 of insulating material and suitably secured in the plate30 are concentrically disposed circular contact strips 31, clearlyillustrated in Figs 3 and 5 of the drawings. The plates or strips 31 areelectrically connected with the respective current carrying strips 10 onthe outer side of the plate 8 by means of suitable conductors, asillustrated in Figs. 3 andI 5 of the drawings.

Suitably fastened to the inner side of the standard l opposite to theplate 8 is a contact carrying box or casing 32, which, in the presentinstance, embodies a back wall 33, a top wall 34 and vertical sideplates 35 spaced apart in parallelism and having` the rear edgesconnected with the back wall 33 and the'top edges secured to the topwall 34, as clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing. Arranged between theside plates 35 and spaced apart one above the other are horizontallydisposed contact bars 36 having their inner ends mounted upon pivotstuds 37 respectively and their outer extremities twisted at an angle of90 degrees to form wipers 38 that are desired to engage the outersurfaces of the ribs 9 respectively in the rotation of the disk likeelement 6 in one direction and to engage the outer side of the electriccurrent carrying strip 1() when the member 6 is revolved in the oppositedirection. These contact bars 36 are equipped adjacent to their outerends with upwardly projecting yokes 39 respectively that are connectedthrough the medium or' retractile springs 40 with rods 41 that passthrough openings in the top wall 34 of the boxing or casing. Thisstructure is clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing and it will beseen that the springs 40 acting upon the yokes 39 urge the contact barupwardly at all times so that good electrical contact will bemaintained, between the wipers 38 and the electric current carryingstrips 10 when the disk like element 6 is traveling in a direction tomaintain engagement between the wipers and such current carrying strip.

Fastencd to the inner side of the standard l opposite from that carryingthe casing 32 is the casingu42 which in the present instance, comprisesvertical side plates 43 and a horizontal bottom plate 44 connected tothe lower end of the side plates 43. Pivoted between the side plates43are contact arms 45 arranged one above another and having their outerends in engagement with contact strips 31 respectively, as clearly shownin Fig. 2 of the drawing. These contact arms 45 are held in engagementwith the respective strips 31 by means of a spring 46 so that a goodelectric contact will be established between the arms 45 and" the strips31.

The disk like element 6 and its associated parts together with thelcontact arms 36 arranged at one side of said element and the.

contact arms 45 arranged at the other side of the element constitutesthe circuit making and breaking device of my improved controller. It isconceivable, howeverfthat the particular structure, just described maybe varied without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceedingthe scope of the appended claim, and therefore it is to be understood'that this particular type of circuit making and breaking device is shownmerely for the purpose of illustration. The contact arms 36 and 45 areconnected with the wires of a three-phase motor circuit 47 that includesa hand operated knife switch 48 and the motor operates the pumprelieving the mine of drainage water.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings 1 have shown the operating mechanism of myimproved ,circuit making and breaking device and in this instance theoperating mechanism embodies a float 49 that is slidably mounted uponvertical guide rods 50 arranged in the water sump of the mine and havingtheir lower extremities suitably 'anchored' and their upper endsfastened to the roof of the mine. Also anchored in the roof of the mineis a bracket carrying a sheaf wheel 51. The peripheries of the annuli 7are, in the present instance, formed with sprocket teeth respectivelyand interchangeably associated with the toothed annuli is one end of achain 53. The other end of the chan 53 is trained over. the guy sheaf 51and fastened to the upper surface of the float 49, as shown in Fig. 1while the central portion of the chain is equipped with a turn buckle 54whereby the length of the chain may be varied. The extremity of thechain that is passed over the annulus is equipped with a weight 55 thatacts to counter balance the float 49, so that the chain will be at alltimes maintained taut in the upward and downward movement of the float,incident to the rise and fall of the drainage water in the sump.

56 designates the drainage pipe that has one end extended into the sumpand the other end connected with the pump that is driven by the motor.

In'practice, any movement of the Hoa-t 49 in the sump is transmittedthrough the chain 53 to the disk like element of the circuit making andbreaking device so that the latter will be operated to either make orbreak the motor circuit according to the position of the float in thesump. For instance, when the float rises the chain transmits motion fromthe float to the disk like element 6 with effect to revolve such elementin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. In the continued'movement ofthe disk like element the ribs 9 act against the wipers 38 until theshoes 11 pass overthe wipers. As the shoes311 engage the wipers suchshoes are elevated and moved outwardly and in the outward movement oftheA shoes motion is transmitted through the links 20 the levers or arms16 with the effect to swing the contact Aplates 17 into the recesses 14thereby4 moving the contact plates 17 out of position to be engaged bythe wipers 38 on the lcontact arms. Howevelgas soon as the shoes passover the wipers, the spring 24 reacts and restores the' contact plateandthe shoes to normal position. Upon return of the contact plate tonormal position, such plate engages the corresponding wiper therebyestablishing electrical connection between the wipers 38 and the contactarms 45 by way of the contact plates 17, the metal sections of the shoes11, the current carrying strips 10, the conductors between the strips 10and 31; and the strips 31. Thus the motor cir- .cuit is closed so thatelectrical energymay flow to the motor and operate the pump to drain thewater from the sump through the pipe 56. Immediately the motor circuitisi closed 'and the pump begins to operate the level of the water fallsthereby permitting the float 49 to descend and in the downward movementof the float the chain 53 revolves the disk like element 6 in thereverse direction to'that indicated by the arrow in F ig. 4. During thismovement of the disk like element the wipers 38 ride over the metallicsections ofthe respective shoes 11 and continue to engage theconducting` strips 10 during the greater portion of the revolution of-the disk like element, thereby maintaining the motor circuit closed toenable the -puma to relieve the sump of all of the drainagefwater. Asthe hands of the conducting strips 10 pass over the wipers 38 the dogs25 engage such wipers both inwardly away from the fingers 29 and againstthe action of the spring 28, thereby permitting the wipers 38 to bel'estoredto normal position under the action ofthe springs, the lingers29 coacting with the wipers 38 to return the latter to normal positionimmediately succeeding the release of the-wipers by the dogs 25'.

- Owing to the fact that the chain 53 may be interchangeably associatedwith the tooth annuli of different diameters, it will be seen that themotor circuit will be closed when the float reaches any desired point inits upward movement, while the motor circuit may be broken when thefloat reaches the desired point in its downward movement.

In accordance with my invention I provide a signal apparatus which isander the control of a circuit making and breaking device and which isrendered active immed1` ately preceding the passage of the shoes l1 overthe wipers 38 so that the attendant may benotiied of the fact that thecircuit making and breaking device is about to close the motor circuit.In the present instance, the signaling apparatus embodies an op-.erating arm 56l pivoted upon the periphery of the plate 8 a shortdistance in advance of the plane ofthe shoes 11, the.arm 56abeingcapable of swinging movement in one direc-` tion being held againstmovement. vbeyond the radial position With respect to the plate 8 in thereverse direction. Arranged in the path of the arm 56a are the contactfingers 57 connected in electric circuit 58 including a battery 59 and asuitable form of signal device such for instance as the bell 60. ln therotation of the movable elements 6 the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4,the arm 56al engages the fingers 57 to move such lingers to circuitclosing position so that the signal 60 will be energized to advise theattendant of the condition Vof the rotatable element.

*On the other handwhen the disk like element 6 is moving in the reversedirection under the action of the weight 49, incident to the rise of thefloat in the sump the arm 56a, owing to its pivotal connection with theplate 8 idles by the fingers 57.

l also provide a signal located in the main oiice of the mine to notifythe authorities whenl the pump isy in operation and this signal underthe control of an intermittent circuit closer that is driven from thedisk like element 6 of the controller. In the present instance, theintermittent circuit. closer, shown in Figs. 9 and l0 of the drawingsembodies a drum 6l comprising end pieces 62, a cylinder 63 between theend pieces 62 and formed of insulating material. Arranged in the outerwall of the cylinder 63 and'extending longitudinally thereof are contactstrips 64 spaced apart equal distances around the cylinder and havingthe inner edges thereof electrically connected by meansof a wire'65arranged within the cylinder, as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the Amentwith the plate 75.

this shaft 71 is a suitable form of contact arm holders 72 in which arepivoted contact fingers 73. The contact fingers or arms 73 are ofdifferent lengths as illustrated in Fig. l0 and the ends thereof remotefrom the holder 72 engage the cylindrical wall of thedrum so as toengage the Contact strips 64 in the rotation of the drum. A retractilespring 74 has one end connected with the holder 72 and the otherextremity fastened to the base 69, the spring acting to hold the lingersor arms 73 in frictional contact with the drum so that good electricalcontact will be provided between the strip 64 and the lingers or arms73. The Wire 65 is connected withthe plate 75 being secured to the outerside of one of the end pieces 62 and insulated from such end pieces.Bearing against the contact plate 75 is a roller of a contact arm 76fulcrumed between its ends to a bracket arm 77 carried by the adjacentupright 68, a spring 78 being connected with the arm 76 to urge theroller end thereof in engagerThe roller contact arm 76 and the holder 72is connected in series 'by a suitable signal, such, 'as for instance, abell 79, and these elements are con-- 2 of the drawing. By means of thisconstruction it will be seen that when the drum 61 is rotated currentwill be caused to flow to the bell 79 intermittently as long as the drumrevolves and as the bell is located in the main offices of the mine, theproper authority will be advised as to the operation of the pump. Thearms 73 are so mounted in the holder 72 that they may be swung out ofengagement with the drum independently of one another so that theperiods at which the bell 79 is sounded may be changed. In the presentinstance the ends of each arm 73 within the holder 72 is equipped withan angularly arranged lug 8O formed with an opening 81 that is adaptedto register with an opening in the holder 72 when the particular arm isswung to a position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 9. The pin 82may be passed through the alining opening to hold the contact arm in thedesired posi; tion. In the present instance, the shaft 66 of theintermittent circuit closer is driven from one of the tooth annuli 7through the medium of a reduction gearing 83 of suitable construction asshown in Fig. 2.

In the present embodimentv of my invention I have also made provisionfor lubrinected'across the circuit 58 as shown in Fig.

cating the motor and the pump. rllhe lubricating mechanism embodies atank 84 mounted between the standards 1--1 at the upper ends of thelatter and adapted to contain the lubricant. From the tank 84 leads thepipe 85 that is connected with a valve 86 arranged above the secondarytank 87 from which lead the oil supply pipes 88 to the various parts tobe lubricated. Within the pipe 85 is a controlling valve 89 which isnormally held in closed position by means of suitably arranged springs`90 connected with one end of a stem in the valve 89. The other end ofthe stem of the valve 89 is formed with an upstanding lug 91l endsecured to one of the bearings of the shaft. Fixed to the shaft 93 is anarm 95 and loosely mounted upon the shaft at opposite sides of the arm95 are the legs of a yoke 96 equipped with a depending arm 97 disposedin the path of movementof the finger 98 secured to the periphery of theplate 8. As the element 6 revolves in one direction the finger 98engages the arm 97 with effect to engage the yoke 96 with the arm 95 andso rotatethe shaft 93 against the action of the spring 94 thereby movingthe lug 92 into engagement with the lug 91 to open the valve 89 topermit a .quantity of the lubricant to flow through the pipe 85 into thetank 87. Immediately the linger 98 disengages the arm theshaft 93 isthrown to normal position under the action of the spring 94 and thevalve 89 is closed by means of the spring 90. When the element 6revolves in the opposite direction, however, the finger 98 engages thearm 97 the latter swings freely on the shaft without influencing thevalve 89. This free movement of the yoke 96 carrying the arm 97 is cableor other flexible element 100 trainedl over suitable guy sheaves 101with the bridging block 102 adapted to engage the fingers 103 that areconnected in circuit with the battery 59 and the bell 7 9 by means ofconductors 104. As the float 99 descends incident to the fall of thelevel of the lubricant the bridging block 102 rises toward the contactstrips 103 land as the float approaches the bottom of the tank 84 theblock 102 engages the strips 103 thereby causing current to flowcontinuously to the bell 79 so that the proper authorities will benotified of the condition of the lubricating apparatus.

I claim In a circuit controller for electrically driven pumps forpumping water from the sump in mines, a circuit closer embodying a disk`like element mounted for rotary movement, electric current conductingstrips on one side of said element. concentrically disposed withrelation' to one another, contact strips on the other side of saidelement concentrically arranged and electrically connected with thefirst named strips respectively, contact lingers normally in engagementwith the first named strips, contact fingers coperating with therespective last named strips and normally 4out of engagementtherewith,.means for holding the last named fingers out ofengagement'with the conducting strips during the movement of saidelement in one direction, means for actuating said fingers intoengagement with the respective strips in the reverse movement of saidelement, and means controlling the movement of said element.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JosHUARossINI.

